Balancing workloads in an electronics assembly factory
US6829514B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 17, 2003 |
| Grant date | Dec 7, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 17, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH05K13/085
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of optimization of a product assembly line utilizes a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) formulation. Line information, such as product data of products to be assembled by the line, parts data of the parts to be used to assemble the products, line data descriptive of the product assembly line and machine data of the machines of the line, is compiled and used to formulate a balancing strategy of the product assembly line (210, 240). The balancing strategy is formulated by the selective manipulation of one or more optimization variables to make the MILP closely representative of the actual manufacturing environment (240, 250, 270). Solving the MILP generates MILP output information from which output reports and metrics may be generated (270, 280).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.